February 12, 2002

Name:

Smash

Age:

Eleven years old

Gender:

Male

Kind:

Quarter horse

Home:

Rockwall, Texas, USA

Smash
is a very spoiled performance show horse. He loves to play with
the barn dogs and show off. He knows how to shake and bow. I attached
a picture of him bowing, but it's not a very good example - he bows
all the way down on one knee. The other picture was taken on his 10th
birthday. He gets very jealous if you pay more attention to someone
else and he ignores you.

I have owned Smash for three years and rode him for almost a year
before I bought him. We clicked from the beginning. He is my first and
only horse, at this time. And he will always be my favorite :o). Smash
likes to show western pleasure the best. He is an all around
performance horse and can do trail, horsemanship, western riding,
english pleasure, and even hunter hack (which he thinks is so much
fun), but he prefers to be on the rail at a slow jog or lope. He was
also Missouri State Champion in western pleasure.

He is affectionate when he's in the mood. Mostly when he thinks he's
getting rewarded! He doesn't really like new people or men. He's got
to get to know you before he "likes" you. He is pretty
independent, but he is very sheltered. Never goes out in the mud,
rain, etc. and is always blanketed when it's cold. He loves the
attention, but when he's had enough, he'll let you know! And if you
pay more attention to someone else, whether it be a person, dog, or
horse, he gets upset. He hates it when people stand in front of his
stall with their back to him. This is his "pet peeve". He
bangs on his stall door, makes mad faces, pins his ears back, and
bites at the air. But don't get me wrong, he would never hurt anyone.
He just gets very jealous! And if you turn around he immediately makes
a really cute face with his big round eyes and ears up and tries to
look innocent, as if to say "Who me? I would never do that"!

I taught him how to shake hands and bow when he was lame for a couple
of months. I couldn't ride or work him, so instead I spoiled him and
taught him tricks. He expects a treat after ever ride, or anytime he
knows he's going back to his stall. And even if I am out of treats or
just forget, he will bow anyway. I have caught him many times bowing
alone in his stall after I have put him up for the day. Or when he
hears me coming, he'll start to bow. Currently I am working on
teaching him to shake his head Yes and No. His best friend is Dude,
another quarter horse gelding. I wish I could turn them out together
but they are both very mischievous and who knows what they would tear
up.

They used to be in stalls next to each other and one would stick out
their tongue and the other would play with it. I guess this is where
Smash learned to stick out his tongue at people walking by his stall.
His favorite game is follow the leader. Or follow the treat I should
say. I'll have a treat in my hand and he will literally follow me
wherever I go. If I take off running, he'll be loping right behind me.
It's actually really funny to look behind you and see a 1300 pound
horse chasing you! He likes dogs. Although, if he gets alone with one
of them in the arena he will chase it.